LOVE SPECIAL
by kuroren23
Summary: It is LME's anniversary and Lory Takarada is up to his usual tricks. And he is employing every tactic in his vast arsenal of love to make sure that by he could make his favorite LoveMe girl and his lone LoveMe boy falls in love.Kyouko/Ren,Kanae/Hiou


Authors Note; SKIP BEAT is not mine. I know that and I admit it. However, the situation presented here, the madness, insanity and sheer demented logic inherent within my tales--those you can lay the blame squarely at my feet. This tale indulges in the idea of what if's and situations that put to light the fascinating world that is acting and the magic that is performing. Since I have always harbored a love for the theater and a fascination for creating movies and music videos plus an unknown and inexplicable liking for fashion, I am exorcising all of that in here. Hope that while I trust it will not be something deep or even dramatic--it will provide those that are willing a temporary respite from the hard realities of life and make one crack even the tiniest of smiles. Enjoy.

**"I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, **

**the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another **

**the sense of what it is to be a human being." **

**- Oscar Wilde**

***

I, Kurosaki Shio, am caught in a full-scale, Technicolor, 3-D nightmare. And the grand avatar of madness responsible for my current predicament is sitting—no lounging, in a throne-like chair that could only be appreciated by a true hedonist in front of me with a grin more demented than any imagined Cheshire cat.

"You want me to do what?"

"I want you to participate in the creation of a series of music videos for LME's anniversary special. It's a series that would feature the many advertisers and programs within LME."

"A music video?" I dead-panned, hoping that I misheard the man. When the man in question only grinned and nodded, it was all that I all I could do not to roll my eyes in exasperation. I had some sense of self-preservation, but not much. And what little I had was seriously in danger of evaporating at the incongruous sight of a gold-laden faux Maharajah seated not two feet away from me.

"Yes. I want it to be ground-breaking…I want it to be the stuff of legends for years to come. I want it to be filled with the one element LME has always prided itself in bringing to the fore."

"And what, pray tell, is this particular magic formula?" I grumbled. The man looked at me like I just confessed not knowing that the earth was round and that the sun was actually a star. Tear-filled eyes accused me as I sat there inundated by the incredulous feeling of being pitied wash over me. It was all I could do not to deck the man right there and then.

"Do you really need to ask? What else is there worth pursuing, creating and immortalizing but love !!!!!!" he stated passionately—as passionately as baton-twirling and fanfare including a shower of gold confetti could make it. _I should've known._ Annoyance nearly overwhelmed me and it took more than just years of discipline to curve the urge to walk out of the room and never return.

"You want me to direct music videos that feature love?"

"That's it."

"Featuring love songs of your choosing, I suppose?"

"_Bien sur_! I want it to be heart-wrenching, tender, full-impact works that would stir even the most indifferent of hearts. I want the ones who will see these short films to be mesmerized. Of course I want you to use classic love songs. Songs that, like love, have withstood the test of time. I want everyone who see and hear them to fall in love over and over again, in a thousand different ways."

_The man was nuttier than the Mad Hatter on sugar high._ And that's only half the reason I never really considered collaborating with the man, even after all the talents from his agency that I've worked with for all my other previous works. I wonder at times if the man I was about to work for could ever be considered normal. Flamboyant seems too paltry a term and eccentric could not convey the sheer extent of the man's oddity. Today seemed like a perfect example of the madness that flows through the man's veins.

"Tell me something President, why am I being asked to direct a music video when you have your own department for things like this? I don't do music videos. Last I checked I make 60-second glimpses of art."

"And that's precisely why I'm hiring you. These videos will be used as OST promotional clips. I want them to be so arresting, so compelling that it should stop traffic. And I want them to be all focused on different aspects of love."

"Aspects?" I nearly snorted. I shifted on the antique Queen Anne wingback chair and tried hard not to show my irritation. I let my eyes wander across the room, having noted that the room has gone through yet another transformation since I was here last. My eyes noted the sleek pillars of faux marble and I was about to dismiss the curious display of excess when I finally realized that what was directly in line with my sight was a life-size gilded naked version of Eros playfully romping with his precious Pysche. The image was enough to make me miss the first half of what President Takarada was saying. Grimly I gathered my wits and tried to concentrate on what the man was saying.

"There are many facets of love. Many faces—many possible combinations that could result in either the most poignant of love or the most tragic. I want you to create something that would make everyone remember what its like to fall in love. I want them to yearn for it."

I frowned. The idea so repelled me that I couldn't help but show my indifference. "So that's the reason you want a series? You want me to direct all of them even while knowing I make CM's?

Lory Takarada gave me a considering looking before deliberately reaching out for the clippers for his cigars. He clipped the end of the one in his hand while I followed every move with my eyes, taking a deep drag of the aromatic cigar before resuming his defense, waving it around as he explained.

"You misunderstand me Director Kurosaki—you are not the only one directing. You are directing but a piece of it. What I have in mind is a tale of love—from inception to completion using nothing else but the language of songs. And for this particular vision I am trying something truly revolutionary—I am using not one director but three."

I snorted. The man was now officially labeled demented in my internal vocabulary. Next to the word sprang President Takarada's image. The man clearly wanted to play out fantasies and if not for the fact that I know he is a marketing genius and genuinely—if not eerily—gifted at spotting talent, I would've kicked him already with my size 12 steel-toed Goth bots.

"President, I don't do music videos. And even if I did, what you want is plainly, insane. For what you desire, you could have your pick of brilliant directors. But I am advising you now to just pick one. You want three different 'eyes' to create a seamless picture of love—that's not the easiest thing in the world. No one in their right mind would compromise their vision just so that you can play matchmaker with musical accompaniment."

"Are you saying you don't think you're good enough?"

I allowed myself a derisive snort. I looked at the man that owned one of the largest, most powerful entertainment empires in Japan and smirked. "Don't even think of using that gambit President. I don't fall for those tactics and I sure as heck am not one of your impressionable backers. You could have Director Shinkai or even Director Ogata for this. Any one of them could fulfill this request of yours. More to it, they probably wouldn't think you're a demented freak that has a mile-wide streak of cupid-syndrome."

"That's true. They could do this for me and make no mistake; I wouldn't even have to go through this with them. They already agreed. But unfortunately for what I need—I must also have you."

"I'm not flattered."

"I didn't intend for you to be. Don't be stupid boy. I sure am not. This isn't some demented project that suddenly popped in my head just because I happen to hear some old sappy love songs in the radio while I bathed."

Something about what he said sent a chill down my spine. S_omehow I just knew that was exactly it_. The man really was a nut of the first order.

"You have got to be kidding me." I muttered in disbelief. I shook my head and wondered if I should've just ignored the man's summon. If the man wasn't so powerful and had a ready access to an army of talents and millions of dollars his fantasy could've been dismissed as amusing and harmless. As the matter stands, it is not amusing and certainly as far from harmless as gasoline in the hands of a serial arsonist.

"I assure you it's no joke Director. I am dead serious about this project."

"Then it's one hell of a nasty trick President. You don't know what you're asking for. I admit I can imagine the challenge of piecing together events using a song—heck, that's the whole reason why music videos make up a large part of an artists marketing strategy. But you want three men to try and synchronize a single vision of a story—that's madness. At best, you'll have three beautiful videos—at worst…you don't want to know."

"Of course I do."

I opened my lips to deliver my carefully worded dismissal of the project when he dropped a bomb on my lap. One I couldn't have resisted or deflected without cutting off my own arm.

"Can't you imagine it Kurosaki-kun? The idea of a scene unfolding before your eyes…songs given life by actors whose features and gestures give the song a life like never before. The challenge of piecing together a tale with nothing more than an artist's lyric set to beautiful music…like a moving photograph that haunts the mind and ensnares the senses…reminding us that we are creatures of intense emotions and the music oftentimes defines us as a race." He stared at me once more and this time it wasn't giddiness or even his peculiarly disturbing "moe" look that stared back at me. It was the piercing gaze of a visionary—a genius alchemist already weaving together the spell in his crucible that would and could seduce the most rational of minds. Magic working its tendrils through the most unfathomable of possibilities. "Think of it Director Kurosaki…tales of love that would unfold before the eyes of a captive audience. Featuring no less than the two princesses of the LoveMe Department!!!" He trumpeted victoriously.

_Damn. I hate this man._

***

I owe the man more than I could ever say. Perhaps because twice now President Lory Takarada has brought me something I never thought I could ever attain since I was forced to live in a world defined by nothing more than accidentally being born as Ogata Date's son. And the truly ironic thing was that he was never aware of the significance of both his actions. As I walk down the carpeted halls that led up to his suite, my eyes absently keeping track of the movement of his manservant's smooth motion, I pondered once again the possibility of paying back the man I owe my sanity to.

"Ah! Welcome! Welcome President Ogata! Sit, please! Would you like a drink?"

"T-tea w-would be most pleasant President." I mumbled the words, easily flustered I was, being in the presence of such a vivid character could often reduce me to dithering. I wanted to curve the habit but it has been so much a part of who I am that I am no longer unduly troubled by it. Still I wish to be more confident around my unwitting benefactor. "T-thank you for inviting me over, though I must admit I have no idea what it's for."

"Ah well, as to that, well get to it in time. For now, won't you tell me about my charming little child? How is she?"

"Ah! Kyouko-chan has been absolutely wonderful. You have found a very rare jewel of an artist with her President. She is—incredible. When I watch her…there's a sense of inevitability that she brings to my mind. Like there is always something else coming and I can't wait to see what it is. Wherever did you find such a great talent?"

President Takarada's eyes gleamed with remember amusement. "AH…she walked in to audition, terrorized one of my managers into sponsoring her and failed her test fabulously. The rest, as you know, is history." He gave one of those scary laughs of his and I found myself laughing along not knowing what else to do.

_Is the man serious? How can anyone ever tell?_ I wonder if I should ask for clarifications. The idea was dangerous enough to make me pause. _After all, was I really prepared—mentally and psychologically—for a one-on-one session with the man everyone calls eccentric and a mad genius?_ I don't think my heart—or my sanity—could bear such an encounter. So I decided to wait it out. Surely he wouldn't have cleared his appointment for the day for such mundane task. Or would he? I shook my head and tried to clear my thoughts. If the President of LME wanted someone to listen to him talk and just happened to pick him out of the blue, it was the least he could offer the man he was indebted to.

"A-ah…President? Is there anything wrong with my work with Kyouko-chan? Is that the reason you called for me?"

"No dear boy. Nothing like that. Actually I wanted to ask you about Ren."

I could barely suppress the smile that bloomed on my lips. "Tsuruga-san? He is a consummate perfectionist—he is as always, the right man for what I had envisioned." I shifted from my semi-comfortable perch on the slick damask sofa and wished for the umpteenth time that I didn't favor white suits. The pale cream silk managed made me feel like I was vanishing into the depths of my seat.

"Ren has always been gifted when it comes to his portrayals. Perhaps it's due mainly to the fact that he allows himself to be consumed by it completely. He has never been afraid of casting aside himself and embracing a character so completely."

"He's a rare one—he can get in touch with his characters—so intuitively knowing about what makes them who they are that for all intents and purposes he is them." ." I wanted to say more but something about the amused quirk of the Presidents lips gave me pause.

"Director Ogata, do you like music?"

I blinked back my confusion. I wondered why such a man would suddenly bring up music in the midst of what I assumed was an overt interview about his co-worker. I tried to rally my thoughts and scrambled for a reply.

"I-i—of course. As much as the next person, I think. A good friend of mine works closely with artists from the music industry and she opened my eyes to the possibilities and creativity of that world."

"Ah…I remember now. Am I to believe that it was the same friend that sent you Mogami-san's PV? The one that made you seek her out?"

"Indeed. Haruki Asami-san was instrumental in my fortuitous meeting with Kyouko-chan. She was so engrossed in her acting that she couldn't get it out her mind. Kyouko-chan haunted her so…"

"Haunted huh…strange that you would choose such a term considering what I have in mind."

"What do you have in mind exactly President?"

"I find myself intrigued by the notion of music videos. I admit that watching Fuwa's PV made me think of how such mediums could be used to tell an effective story."

"The idea is quite plausible President. Are you asking me if I would be willing to make one for LME?"

A beat passed. It continued on until it became a pronounced silence that slowly shredded my carefully constructed composure. I felt my once-steady pulse climb up until I could practically feel the thrumming under my skin. My breath constricted until it was I could do not to faint. Finally, he spoke once more.

"Ogata, I want to ask you something."

I took a deep breath, and then another. I was conscious of the fact that my voice trembled slightly but there was no helping the fact. I was just thankful that I didn't faint from the tension of waiting for him to speak."Of course, by all means, President, ask your question."

"Do you think you can make me fall in love?"

_I spoke too soon. That's the last thought I had in my mind before my frame hit the thick Persian carpet. I knew I should've brought someone along with me for this meeting._

**

She wonders at the note Mr. Sawara kindly left for her at the reception desk. Though it wasn't all that unusual, it was also not his usual method. Jobs for member of the LoveMe section usually goes through the office of the Talent Department and after careful selection, only then do they get the list of tasks for the day.

I wonder what we're suppose to do today.

Carefully she unfolded the note after bowing her thanks to the smiling receptionist. She frowned and stared at the words printed on the small embossed card that bore the seal of the LME and a coat of arms she could only assume came from the president. She wondered if perhaps it was yet another one of the presidents many impromptu tests. She re-read the words once more deciding that she needs the counsel of one Kotonami Kanae. She couldn't fathom this one on her own. The instructions simply baffled her. She gave the note one final glance before committing them to memory to ensure that she could repeat it should anyone ask.

_**Yoshiwara and Gion.**_

What exactly did the president mean by that?


End file.
